1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wind-blown musical instruments. More particularly the present invention relates to a C# tone-hole mechanism for flutes and piccolos.
2. Description of Related Art
The modern flute, as designed by Theobald Boehm in 1847, was the last major innovation in flute design. Previously, instrument makers built their flutes based on the hands of the performers, that is, the various tone holes of the instrument were placed longitudinally along the tube with the main consideration being that they would be in reach of the performer's fingers, rather than where they might be best placed acoustically. Boehm's innovation was to place the tone holes where they belong for the best musical performance, then build a mechanical system of keys which would allow the performer to close the various holes without contorting the hand into an uncomfortable position. Further, now that the fingers were covering keys upon tone holes, rather than covering the tone hole directly with the finger pad, said tone holes could be enlarged to provide better ventilation, which improved the stuffy tone and ventilation problems of earlier flutes.
Boehm is responsible for calculating the most effective size for the tone holes of the flute, but was forced into several compromises of his ideal design, as the player can only bring 9 fingers (the right-hand thumb is used to support the instrument and does not cover or actuate any key) to bear upon the theoretical 12 tone holes corresponding to the 12 semitones of a musical octave. The compromise with which the present invention is concerned is that of the C#4 tone hole.
In order to expand the range of the flute into the upper octaves while simultaneously providing the optimum intonation possible for the greatest number of pitches, Boehm was forced to use a smaller diameter tube than would otherwise be indicated, that is, the tube's diameter is out of proportion with its length. The result of this is that the pitches D4 and D#4 have a noticeably different tonal color than the immediately adjacent pitches, which is undesirable in musical performance. Boehm knew that the flute should have, in actuality, three separate tone holes, one each for C#4, D4 and D#4. Unfortunately, there is only one finger available in this location, and it must be used for C#4. Through experimentation, Boehm's compromise resulted in a C# tone hole that was of smaller diameter and placed higher up on the instrument tube so that it could also serve as a vent hole for D4, D#4, D5, G#5, A5, and A#5. Boehm realized that he would be unable to create a perfectly in-tune instrument, as addressing the intonation of any one pitch was likely to adversely affect several other pitches, and so on.
Since the development of the modern flute by Boehm in the mid-19th century, several designs have emerged to address the issue of the C#4 tone hole, and provide the proper ventilation for the pitch C#4, as well as the other pitches previously mentioned. These designs address the issue by replacing the current C#4 tone hole with two separate tone holes, one to serve as a dedicated C#4 tone hole, and the other—placed on the opposite side of the instrument—to serve as the vent hole for the pitches D4, D#4, D5, G#5, A5, and A#5. However, these designs have typically involved rather complex mechanical solutions, which result in inefficient mechanical action, keys working against each other, and increased opportunity for maladjustment in the mechanism.
Further, the placement of the vent tone hole on the opposite side of the instrument (which was previously thought necessary due to the need to close one hole while opening the other) prevents the addition of a “C#-trill mechanism,” which is a popular option among flute players.
Therefore, what is needed is a tone and vent hole configuration on a flute or piccolo that allows a proper sized tone hole, and an appropriate vent hole, as well as a corresponding key mechanism to operate the tone hole and vent hole.